Mount Pleasant Park

The walk up Mount Pleasant takes about twenty minutes from the Dronfield side, and it's steeper than you'd expect from the name. Once you're up there though, the views across the Derbyshire valleys are genuinely worth the huffing and puffing - you can see for miles on a clear day.

It's a proper nature reserve, so you're walking through moorland and woodland with proper paths, not a manicured park. Heather blooms in late summer, which is when it looks best. Bird watchers come here regularly, and ramblers treat it as a decent pit stop on longer walks through the area. The whole thing feels wild without being difficult - families with older kids will manage it fine, though toddlers might struggle with the gradient.

There's not much infrastructure up there, so bring water and come prepared. The light changes dramatically in the late afternoon, which is actually when the colours are most striking if you're into photography. It's the kind of place you do in two hours maximum, so pair it with something else nearby. Riverside Valley Camping sits about six miles away if you're basing yourself in the area - a decent enough site to use as a jumping-off point for walks like this one.

Worth the detour if you're already in Dronfield or tackling the wider Peak District walking circuit. The views excuse the muddy boots, honestly.